Roasting fork



March 3o, 1943. W, THOMPSON 2,315,143

` ROASTING FORK Filed Aug. 6, 1942 l WALTER @Wam/@sofi l'mnentor www Gttorneg Y @mima This invention relates to roasting forks and more especially to an article od this in which the tines are individually and axially rotateble so as to present different sides of the supported foodstuff to the rire. The present invention is particularly adaptable ior use on picnics, wiener roasts and the like where an and eflicient utensil is desire for er positions relative to the fire and without causing discomfort to the user.

It is en object or this roasting fork com a handle, a plurality of tines for supporti im :f and me carried by the handle for rotating each oi said tineo about its own axis.

It is another object of this invention to provide a ting fork of the class desc i which is capeble of supported and operated by one of the user the leaving the other hand i. In other words, the iingers of one hand may be fork while the thumb on the same hand may be employed for ally rotating the individual tines and i'.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel 'as fors which is simple in construction, econcmil to manufacture and easy to opinvention to provide a of the objects of the invention having stated, others objects will r as the de- 12: when taken in connection with the accnying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view ot one my improved roasting fork;

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view taken sions the line 2-2 in Figui-el;

u: 3 is an isometric form oi view of'a modided form said lateral portion having a loop I8 integral therewith which is adapted to be engaged by the thumb o! the same hand which engages handle portion i i.

Rod IB extends downwardly through the outployed for gripping the handle of thev 'then move his thumb to oscillate sten lng base member i2. The extension of this rod below the base'member forms a tine or prong it, which prong is preferably sharpened on its lower end to facilitate the reception ofedible products such as wieners, meat, and the like. The member i2 also has rotatably mounted therein a pair of adjacent tines or prongs 20 and 2i, and these prongs have laterally projecting lever arms '22 and V23 respectively interal with the upper ends thereof.

The free ends of the levers 22 and 23 are equipped with rollers 2d and 25, said rollers being adapted to slidably penetrate slots 26 and 21 respectively in the opposed ends of another lever Q9. Although rollers are employed on the ends of lever arms 22 and 23, it is evident that non-rotatable projections could be employed instead, and substantially the same results obtained because the function of the rollers lies principally in the elimination of friction.

The intermediateportion of lever 2B is iixediy secured around the lower portion of rod i6 at a point between the lug 1n order to yieldingly hold the parts in such a position that the edge of lever 2t will normally abut the edge of handle iB in the manner shown in Figure 2, a suitable torsion spring 3@ is provided.

When it is desired to axially rotate the tinesiQ, 2s, and 2|, it is only necessary for the operator to .grasp the handle portion il with the fingers of one hand and then insert the thumb of the same hand into loop I8. The operator can the rod I5 and lever 2S @back and forth from bold line position (Figure 2) to dotted line position to thereby lmpart simultaneous axial rotation to the tines and the edible products thereonv Figure 3 shows a. slightly modiiied form of thel invention, but the same principle is employed. In this form, a handle 35 is provided and the upper end of this handle has a, portion 36 which is adapted to be grasped by the users fingers. The lower portion of handle S5 has a U-shaped portion Bl integral therewith, the legs of which are penetrated by' transversely disposed tines 3B, which tihes have their opposed ends sharpened for the reception of edi-ble products. Each of the tines has a laterally projecting lever 3B extending from its central portion at a point between the legs of U-shaped portion 3l. The free ends of these levers are connected by a link 0 which extends upwardly alongside handle 35, and is connected to one leg of a bell crank t2, said bell I5 and base member l2. v

crank being pivoted intermediate to handle 35.

When it is desired to simultaneously oscillate the tines 38, the operator usually engages handle portion 36 with the fingers of his hand and then applies pressure to the adjacent leg of bell crank its ends as at 4i 42 with the thumb of the same hand. The pres-` sure exerted .by the thumb will produce rotation of the tines 38 in cne direction, and a tension spring 44 will produce rotation in the opposite direction/to thereby return the parts to their normal position.

Figure 4 shows still another modified form of the invention, which is also similar in principle to the preceding forms, yetv the specific details vary. This form has a handle 41 the upper end of which has a portion 48 which is adapted to be grasped by the users lingers. The lower end of the handle has an outstanding base or support 49 in which is housed intermeshing gears 50, 5l and 52, iixedly mounted upon parallel. tines 53, 54, and 55 respectively. It is therefore seen that when rotation is imparted to one tine, a corresponding rotation will be imparted to the remaining tines.

Extending upwardly from the center gear 5| and forming anextension of tine 5'4 is a rod 56. This rod has its upper end rotatably mounted in a lug 51 which, in turn, projects from the upper portion of handle member 41. The upper projecting end of the rod 56 has a laterally disposed loop 59 integral therewith. This loop is adapted to be engaged by the thumb of the operators hand while the ngers of the same hand are engaging the handle portion 48. A torsion spring 60 is employed for returning the tines and associated parts to their normal position after the users thumb has rotated the rod 56 and loop 59 in a clockwise manner in Figure 4. In other words, oscillation is imparted to the tines in one direction by the movement of the thumb and the reverse oscillation is imparted to the tines by means of torsion spring 60. j

It is therefore seen that I have provided a simple utensil capable of being operated by one hand to thereby expose all surfaces of foodstuff to the iire without bodily turning the utensil.

In the drawing and specication, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation,

`,the scope of the invention being delnedin the claims. I

I claim:

1. A roasting fork comprising an elongated handle, one end of which is adapted to be gripped by the iingers of an operators hand, a plurality of elongated tines carried by the lother end 01' said handle, each tine being mounted for rotation along its longitudinal axis, and means connecting said tines and engageable by the thumb of said operators hand for rotating said tines along their longitudinal axis.

2. A roasting fork comprising an elongated handle, ene end of which is adapted to be gripped by the lingers of an operators hand, a' plurality of elongated tines carried by the other end of said handle, each tine being mounted for rotation along its longitudinal axis, interconnecting levers for transmitting rotation from one tine to the 5 adjacent tine, and operating means connecting said levers and engageable by the thumb of the operators hand whereby said tines may be axially rotated each along its own longitudinal axis by the movement of the thumb.

- 3. A roasting fork comprising an elongated handle, one end of which is adapted to be gripped by the lingers of an operators hand, a plurality of elongated tines carried by the other end of said handle, each tine being rotatable along its own rlongitudinal axis, a geared connection between said tines, and operating means for said gears and engageable by the thumb of the operators hand to rotate each of the tines along its own longitudinal axis.

4. A roasting fork comprising an elongated handle, one end of which is adapted to be gripped by the fingers of an operators hand, a plurality of elongated tines carried by the other end of said handle, each tine being mounted for rotation along its longitudinal axis, means connecting said tines and engageable by the thumb of said operators hand for rotating said tines along their longitudinal axis, and a spring for resisting move.. ment of the means engageable by the thumb of the operators hand for holding the tines in a given position and for returning the tines to said given position when the means engageable by the thumb of the operators hand are released.

5. A roasting Ifork comprising an elongated by the fingers of an operators hand, a plurality other end of said handle, each tine being mounted for rotation along its longitudinal axis, interconnecting levers o for transmitting rotation from one tine to the adjacent tine, operating means connecting said levers and engageable by the thumb of the operators hand whereby said tines may be axially rotated each along its own longitudinal axis by the movement of the thumb, and a spring for resisting movement of the means engageable by the thumb of the operators hand for holding the tines in a given position and for returning the tines to said given position when the means engageable by the thumb of the operators hand are released.

6. A roasting fork comprising an elongated handle, one end of which is adapted to be gripped by the ngers of an operators hand, a plurality said handle, each tine being rotatable along its own longitudinal axis, a geared connection between said tines, operating means for said gears and engageable by the thumb of the operators hand to rotate each of the tines along its own longitudinal axis, and a spring for resisting movement of the means engageable by the thumb of the operators hand for holding the tines in a given position and for returning the tines to said given position when the. means engageable by the thumb of the operators hand are released.

WALTER R. THOMPSON.

of elongated tines carried by the other end of 

